Temperature

Average temperatures were below normal by 2-4°F across the east (Figure 1). Many places along and west of the Mississippi River were near normal this week, though average temperatures came in 2-4°F above normal across western Minnesota.

Minimum temperatures were below normal for much of the region by 2-4°F (Figure 2). Across western Minnesota, temperatures trended near to slightly above normal.

Maximum temperatures averaged above normal by 3-5°F for many places west of the Mississippi River (Figure 3). Meanwhile, much of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio were below normal. Across northern Ohio, maximum temperatures were as much 6-8°F below normal for the week. The region experienced a cool-down early in the period. In Bowling Green, Kentucky, a maximum temperature of 35°F on November 10 was the coldest November maximum temperature since 2019. By the end of the week, temperatures rebounded dramatically. In Sioux City, Iowa, the maximum temperature rose to 76°F on November 14, the latest date a temperature above 75°F has occurred in the calendar year since records began in 1889.

Precipitation/First Snow/Drought

The week was mostly dry across the region. Much of the west—excluding Iowa—observed no precipitation (Figure 4). The heaviest precipitation fell along the I-80 corridor. The Greater Chicago area, northern Indiana, and northern Ohio observed the greatest precipitation, with those areas near 100 percent of normal. Precipitation was 50-75 percent of normal across much of the Ohio Valley.

Most of the precipitation fell as snow. This was the first measurable snowfall for many observing locations across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. Some parts of northern Indiana, southwestern Michigan, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) observed over a foot of snow (Figure 5). On November 10, Chicago O’Hare International Airport observed 1.7 inches of snow, nearly a month ahead of the typical first inch of snow for that location. Thundersnow was reported along Lake Michigan early on November 10. At least one inch of snow was reported as far south as Cincinnati and northern Kentucky.

Changes in drought conditions were minimal as of the November 11 update (Figure 6). Extreme drought (D3) slightly increased in eastern Illinois. Severe drought (D2) decreased somewhat, and moderate drought (D1) increased slightly. Abnormally dry (D0) had the largest change, though it was still a minor 1.49 percent decrease in dry conditions, mainly across Ohio.